A Movie For The Ages (pun intended)

Rating: 10/10 (26 January 2006)

I saw this movie because no others were on cable that seemed like a scifi. This is not a scifi per se (this is not exactly a scifi). What it is is a thought provoking action filled brilliantly directed, edited, cast, written movie about ... cloning. It takes the question of human cloning to a new height and brings it right up to your face.
Sounds boring? YOU BET! That's what I thought - but it is anything but! Directed by Mr. Michael Bay Writing credits (WGA) Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci (screenplay) As I will always say, a great movie has to be great in all categories - from editing to directing - and this one is just that. I wholly expected a sequence of utterly boring chase scenes with "cute guy" and "handsome chick" ... or is it the other way around? I forget, Hollywood is so terrible these days. However, the acting in all the roles was so well played I forgot I was watching a movie and got involved in the lives of these people. Kudos to the _entire_ cast as well to Casting.
Acting:
Ewan McGregor .... Lincoln Six Echo/Tom Lincoln
Scarlett Johansson .... Jordan Two Delta/Sarah Jordan
Djimon Hounsou .... Albert Laurent
Sean Bean .... Merrick
Steve Buscemi .... McCord
Michael Clarke Duncan .... Starkweather
APPLAUSE!!! APPLAUSE!!! ENCORE!!! ENCORE!!!
Ewan McGregor: always puts in a great role - he allows to slip gently into his character's situation. Wonderful. I will look for any movie he does in the future. E.g. I didn't recognize him from his other roles, but found his name on the Star Wars roster - amazing - THAT's WHO HE IS!?!?! wow! (I have a new appreciation for real actors such as Mr. McGregor because of Mr. Tom Cruise's inability to do anything other than look pretty, which I discovered from his payroll job in "War of the Worlds: the ruining of an American Classic into an emotionless nothing.")
Scarlett Johansson: I don't understand, nor like, Hollywood's perpetual casting of blondes with big appendages in the lead female roles. However, like Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider, Ms. Scarlett Johansson (who plays Jordan 2 Delta - great names!) is utterly convincing in every scene she plays. I applaud her - in every scene she stopped being a "pretty face" and always performed as a real person in a real situation. Wonderful. Ms. Johansson is wonderful as she natural as she is beautiful. It is hard to believe that Hollywood found a "beautiful blonde" who can also have such strong acting ability. I hope Hollywood doesn't ignore her for her acting talent.
Djimon Hounsou: a walking wall with perfect on screen presence. He was who he played - from the SEAL Team leader to the de-humanized son of a freedom fighter. His character's focus and determination was palpable. Again, another actor to look for in any movie he makes.
Sean Bean: totally, 100% convincing as he brought that sociopathic god-complex doctor to life. You want to reach through the screen and ... *breath* ... he really played the part up. There's a scene where Merrick (Bean) is talking to Laurent (Hounsou) where Merrick's persona leaps off of the big screen and you see him for what he truly is - give Mr. Bay, Mr. Bean's make-up artist, and Mr. Bean a standing-O for bring that to the foreground at a precise moment. Wonderful.
Steve Buscemi: enough personality to dominate and sustain the entire movie. I can't forget any of Mr. Buscemi's roles. He is so magnificent in all of them - anytime he is in a movie I watch the movie just to see him... if the movie that is made around him is good, then so much the better. If it isn't ... then I got to see Mr. Buscemi in another role - it's a win-win! :)
Michael Clarke Duncan: every appearance, no matter how small, he manages to bring to life with his giant heart. In Armageddon as "Bear," in The Green Mile as "John Coffey" (wow!), The Whole Nine Yards as "Franklin 'Frankie Figs' Figueroa," (great!) in Planet of the Apes as "Colonel Attar," (THE ONLY ACTOR WORTH WATCHING IN THAT TIM BURTON MESS THEY SHOULD BURN THE MASTER!!!)and in The Island as "Starkweather." Mr. Duncan should get bigger roles - am I the only person who sees this?
This is a rare cast - this is a rare director - this is a movie for the ages!
11/10
-Zafoid
PS: I am not a fan of directors at all - there are some who make good movies who I would definitely go see, but only Mr. Michael Bay is worth looking for! I am now a "Michael Bay fan." The next time I see a new movie I will LOOK FOR his name... if he directed it I will see it. I was only willing to do this with one other director - Stanley Kubrik. I think if Mr. Kubrik was alive today, he would applaud Mr. Bay's magnificent gift to direct.
PPS: I know how to take photos... I take the picture in my head ahead of time... Mr. Bay said the same thing about his movies - he knows what he is doing. Fledgling directors take note - learn from Mr. Michael Bay - a future American Master.
-Z